You'd think that if you had a cunning master plan to reduce the Tories' popularity by some carefully aimed (and seemingly untrue) smears you'd at least try to make sure that you didn't mail them to the Guido Fawkes blog in case he tried to use it as a means of biting you (and making some money from the press). But no, apparently not....

One of Gordon Brown's most senior aides has been forced to apologise for sending "juvenile and inappropriate" emails from a Number 10 account.

No 10 to remind staff about rules after embarrassing incident

The private messages written by special adviser Damian McBride are said to feature ideas for potential smear stories about senior Conservatives.

They were apparently sent to Derek Draper, who runs a Labour-supporting political blog.

But they have now come into the possession of Paul Staines, whose Guido Fawkes blog is hostile towards the Government and the Labour Party in general.

A Downing Street spokesman said: "Neither the Prime Minister nor anybody else in Downing Street, except the author, knew anything about any of these private
emails.

"The author of these emails has apologised for their juvenile and inappropriate nature and for the embarrassment caused.

"All staff will be reminded of the appropriate use of Number 10 resources."

Mr McBride has been in charge of strategic planning at Downing Street since last October, when he was moved from his position as Mr Brown's political spokesman.

His emails have apparently been touted around newspapers, although none has yet published them.

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So, Guido Fawlkes is absolutely correct in his assertion that the Telegraph piece is another bit of spin by McBride using a tame reporter at that paper to make it look like an 'unknown source', rather than the wnaker himself.

So, a series of emails involving the setting up of a "deniable site" to smear leading opposition MP's by way of accusations of sexual infidelities, medical / health issues and the involvement of family members. The Telegraph appears to have been an easy plant for the counter story.

This has the potential to run and run, as the detailed emails drip out over the next few days. As for the newsprint reporting - bear in mind that many journalists also appear to have been mentioned in the same emails - freedom of the press may make for an amusing week.

Can I be the first to predict that the miriad of back-up systems, SFT hardware and software will once again be found to fail. If the rumours of a concerted plan to smear was devised by one of Gordon Brown's trusted special advisors from within the walls of 10 Downing Street, then standby for denials from the PM himself, distancing (usual pleading of ignorance) just about everybody from Damian McBride's actions.

Can I be the first to predict that the miriad of back-up systems, SFT hardware and software will once again be found to fail. If the rumours of a concerted plan to smear was devised by one of Gordon Brown's trusted special advisors from within the walls of 10 Downing Street, then standby for denials from the PM himself, distancing (usual pleading of ignorance) just about everybody from Damian McBride's actions.

Can we expect Knacker of the yard to be called in to investigate?

Must be time for a crucifixion in Downing Street.

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Funny you mentioned that:

Here's the strenuous denials in the Telegraph, with Brown's denial of all knowledge and a mention of security breaches and possible police involvement.

If the emails, which were originally sent to Derek Draper, a close friend of Lord Mandelson, who also runs an influential political blog, were obtained by a hitherto unidentified person hacking into the No 10 computer system or Mr Draperâs, the police could be called in to investigate. Mr Staines declined to tell The Daily Telegraph where they came from.

The prospect of publication alarmed ministers, who feared that they would be accused of orchestrating a smear campaign against senior Tory figures. Some of the emails made lurid claims about Mr Cameron, the Tory leader, and Mr Osborne, the shadow chancellor.

A Downing Street spokesman said: âWe are not aware of any security breach in the No 10 system.

âThe Prime Minister knows nothing about these emails but the individual concerned has informed colleagues and apologised for any embarrassment or offence caused.â

Last night, a source close to the Downing Street official and Mr Draper played down the content of the emails. The source said: âThey were knocking round some ideas for a blog, but the whole thing never got past first base.

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Notice also that the Telegraph reporter has 'no idea where the email came from'!?!??

Quite Biped - the bipartisan observer would probably be asking questions as to just how Gordon Brown runs his inner circle? If his lck of control over internal communications / campaigns is so poor, then is it a fair assumption to consider that McBride's time as a Special Advisor is about to come to a soggy end?

As Guido states, this is a long way beyond a spat between two bloggers.

Interestingly, the government's own recently introduced legislation regarding IP/Sec logging will ensure a very easy audit trail, so the Telegraph's soft target hack will also start to feel the heat.

Oh God, we are going to have to endure yet another day filled with Ashie screaming 'the Tories, the Tories" and "Thatcher politicised the civil service". Couple that with sarcastic statements along the lines of "Yeah, a civil servant sends a personal e-mail with a flippant comment on it - of course Gordon Brown would get a copy! Would all of you send some of your puerile posts about coups and burning ministers to your boss and then have them published as evidence of your true beliefs?". See, I could be Ashie - formulaic, defensive, blustering and completely lacking in anything other than empty rhetoric.